Improvement in boot-jacks



S. B. BARTINE. Boot-Jack.

No. 206,523. Patented July 30, I878.

B Jim/ways.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

STEPHEN B. BARTINE, OF TOTTENVILLE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TOJOHN W. BARTINE, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOT-JACKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 206,523, dated July 30,1878; application filed May 16, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN B. BARTINE, of Tottenville, Staten Island,in the county of Richmond, New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Boot-Jacks, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact specification.

My said invention relates to those boot-jacks in which provision is madefor pressing upon the toe of the boot, so as to facilitate thewithdrawal of the foot.

My said invention consists in a peculiarly simple and efficientcombination of devices, comprising a toe-presser adapted, by means of asliding swivel, to turn upon its longitudinal axis, and also upon aT-head at its lower end and upon parallel pivots above the latter, so asto accommodate itself perfectly to the foot, and to be readilymanipulated in different postures or at different angles, as hereinaftermore fully set forth.

Figure l of the accompanying drawing is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 isa top view, of a boot-jack illustrating this invention, the same beingshown as in use. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same folded.

Like letters of reference indicate correspon din g parts in the severalfigures.

This improved boot-jack consists of a heeljack, A, which may be of anyapproved description; a pair of links,-B B, attached to the outsideedges of the jaw end of the jack A by pivotal screws 2 z; a slidingswivel, O, pivoted between the outer ends of the links 13 by axialscrews 3 y,- and a toe-presser, D, having a T- head, :20, at its lowerend, adapted to rest upon the top of the foot in different positions,the upper end of said presser D forming a handle by which toi'nanipulate it.

The rod or stem of said presser, or a portion thereof within the swivelO, is made cylindrical, so as to render it rotary or swiveled, and topermit the sliding motion of the swivel, which is an essentialcharacteristic of this invention.

I use a toe-presser and swivel of tough wood, such as hickory, links ofrod-iron, and ordinary iron wood-screws, in connection with a woodenheel-jack of ordinary make. These details are considered unessential, asare also the following auxiliary features, namely first, the provisionof supplemental screw-holes w w in the links 13, so that the effectivelength of the same can be readily increased or lessened to suit boots ofdifferent sizes; second, the curved shape of said links, which admitsthe foot and leg freely, so as not to rub or crease the pantaloons;third, at stop-pin, o, passing transversely through the stem of thetoe-presser D, so as to support the swivel O at a suflicient height toinsure its proper operation.

A shoulder equivalent to this stop-pin may be formed in various ways,and the toe-presser, swivel, and heel-jack may be made wholly or in partof iron or other suitable material; or all the parts may be made ofwood, excepting the pivotal screws or their equivalent.

The operation of the parts is as follows The operator stands with onefoot on the heeljack A, and passes his other foot through the yokeformed by the links B and swivel C, and

engages the heel of the boot with the jaws of the jack A in the ordinarymanner. The toepresser D is at the same time manipulated so as to locateits T-head w in a comfortable po sition on the top of the foot, and bymeans thereof the boot is held down and the working out of the foot iseificiently assisted. During the operation the toe-presser D changes itsangle with the posture of the body, and the swivel O and links B turn onthe pivots 3 z, and the former also slides on the stem of the presser,as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, so as to permit andaccommodate themselves to said motion of the latter. The efiectivemotions of the presser in assisting the heeljack are permitted chieflyby said pivots 3 but the sliding motion of the swivel will be seen to beessential to the operation of the presser at different angles. At thesame time, or independently, the toe-presser may be turned on itslongitudinal axis so as to avoid tender places on the footfor example,as illustrated in Fig. 2. \Vhen not in use the parts lie flat, so as tooccupy the least possible space, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The use of a folding toe-presser, broadly considered, is disclaimed asold, one being shown, for example, in an expired United States patent,but not with a sliding swivel or any equivalent thereof; and this is anessential feature of my combination, and one of prime importance, ashereinbefore set forth.

I am also aware that in another patent a toe-holder is shown in the formof a dipper, pivoted above its lower ends to links which connect it tothe heel-jack; and in another a toe-rest is shown in the form of aswinging arm, the lower end of which braces the top of the foot. Thesedevices are hereby diselaimed.

The following is what I claim as new, and of my own invention, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, namely-

